Gate-latch



(No Model.) W. H. WOODFORD.

GATE LATCH. v No. 370,586. Patented Sept. 27, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. WOODFORD, OF OWENSBOROUGH, KENTUCKY.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 370,586, dated September 27, 1887.

Application filed July 9, 1887. Serial No. 243,874. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H; Wool)- FORD, a citizen of the United-States, residing at Owensborough, in the county of Daviess and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gate-latches; and the object of my invention is toproduceasimple, economical, convenient, and efficient gate-latch.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my gate-latch with a horizontal section of the keeper: and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same as viewed from the righthand side of Fig. 1, the same being illustrated with the gate slightly open and the latch separated a slight distance from the keeper.

A designates a portion of the gate, and B the post which is contiguous to the swinging edge of the gate. I secure the latch to the gate A; and it consists of the base plate or piece 0, having a downwardly projecting and inclined lug, a, and the latch D, having an upwardly-projecting lug, b, correspondingly inclined, as shown in Fig. 2, the said parts being pivoted together by a' pin or bolt, d, which extends obliquely through the inclined lugs a b, as indicated by the parallel broken lines in Fig. 2. The horizontal portion of the latch D is beveled at both edges in front, and is also provided with an inclined or hooked shoulder, e, at each edge, as shown in Fig. 1. I also provide the latch near the middle of its outer end with an upwardly-projecting lug, f, for use as a handle in disengaging the latch from its keeper.

E designates the keeper, which is secured to the gate-post B, as shown. This keeper is rounded upon the side which faces the gate and has an inclined or hooked face upon the opposite side, which corresponds to the face of the shoulder e on the latch. The keeper is made long enough in the vertical direction to have it properly engaged by the latch even though the height of the latch may be varied somewhat through the sagging of the gate. In order to disengage the latch it is swung to one side on its pivot, so as to disengage it from the keeper, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, and the gate opened. So soon as the latch is released it will by the force of gravity fall into its normal position. In closing the gate the rounded edge of the latch engages the rounded edge of the keeper, so that the latch is forced sidewise into an oblique position away from the keeper until the shoulder e passes by the rounded edge of the keeper, after which the weight of the latch will cause it to swing into the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

I have described the latch as having two shoulders e and two rounded edges; but this construction is only for the purpose of enabling the latch to be used upon either a right or a left handed gate. When once in position on any particular gate, only one rounded edge andshoulder have any function.

I claim as my invention-- The base-plate 0, having the inclined lug a, and the latch D, having the beveled outer edge, shoulder e, and oblique lug b, fastened together by the inclined pivot cl, in combination with the keeper E, having an inclined guiding-surface and a hooking-shoulder, all substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM H. VV'OODFORD.

Witnesses:

R. W. SLACK, J on HAYCRAFT. 

